ROMANCE & REALITY
Love and Illusion: Do These Two Belong Together?
I was looking at pictures of couples on social media when a good friend of mine giggled as she peeked over my shoulder and asked me a question that I know is going to keep me up all night. The question?
Why are you wasting your time looking at those? Don’t you know love is a sham?
That’s when it hit me. There are those who think love isn’t real. Some people actually put the words love and illusion together. As sad as this sounds, many do believe that love is, indeed, a mere illusion. It sounds cliché, but others can’t help but think that way, and my friend is unfortunately one of them!
Even a few happy couples have occasional doubts about their relationships. Sometimes, they feel things seem too good to be true, anticipating something bad to happen in the process. Being cautious is one thing — constantly expecting disappointment is another.
And with that, some ask themselves this question: is love just a figment of our imagination, or is it a real experience?
Is Love Truly an Illusion?
We all know the classic warning of taking things beyond face value. Not everything we see is what it seems on the surface. Going by that logic, love is an illusion. It isn’t tangible, and we can’t break it down into numbers. It has to be an act right?
The truth is, love is only an illusion if you believe it’s a magical cure/solution. It may add to your happiness, but it’s not a foolproof miracle worker.
You shouldn’t see it as a world-moving event. If you do, you’ll only end up disappointed, and eventually, jaded. It traps you in an endless cycle that proves costly to your mental health.
Why Do People Believe Love Is an Illusion?
Feelings aren’t always the best basis for decisions. They can cloud judgment, leading to poor choices. The consequences of such choices lead people to believe that love is for fools.
Why the pessimism, you ask? The answer lies within one’s expectations. Examples and secondhand experiences don’t always apply to us.
We always want the best-case scenario, right? Unfortunately, we can’t always get what we want. When that happens, we get hurt. And when you allow that pain to linger, you let your heart close its doors.
Don’t get me wrong: having expectations is good! However, that’s different from letting them completely warp you. You may want to rework yours if you keep getting dissatisfied.
Another culprit: fear. We all hate failures, especially heartbreak. But some take that to another level by creating illusions. They project themselves as cold and unavailable people. For these folks, their detached appearance is their best counter against pain.
Shatter That Illusion
Some of you may find it difficult to believe love isn’t an illusion. You can’t comprehend the idea of someone giving their heart to you without a catch. If you want to open your heart, brace yourself for everything that comes with love: the good, bad, and ugly.
The most common reason you might think love is indeed an illusion is because it failed you at one point in your life. Getting hurt sucks, but you can’t run away from that possibility forever. By taking everything that love brings, you’ll realize that it really isn’t as bad as you thought.
Give love a chance!
Love Is Very Much Real
Love isn’t a trick. It’s complex, yes, but it’s certainly not make-believe.
While we shouldn’t make too much of a big deal out of it, don’t think of it as a far-fetched daydream either. Your feelings toward another person are as real as your physical self. You feel everything it brings, from the euphoric highs to the saddest lows.
When you genuinely love someone, their needs and happiness become your priorities. Putting personal gain aside gives you more than just a hormonal rush. It brings fulfillment. This kind of satisfaction is transformative because it pushes people to think of others besides themselves.
Don’t tie love and illusion together. The two couldn’t be further from each other. You’ll only set yourself up for loneliness if you believe love is but a figment of one’s imagination. Love is real, and it resides within you. You need only give it a chance to find the one who deserves it.
